Get ready to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of both Coober Pedy’s Catacomb Church and our company’s partnership with Bush Church Aid Society, an organisation that really goes the distance for God.

South Australia was originally settled as a free “Christian Colony” and its capital, Adelaide, is still known as the “City of Churches”. We fly into Adelaide to come together and get to know our fellow travellers over our first Group Dinner.

Overnight: Adelaide

Enjoy a morning in the beautiful Barossa Valley, an area settled by Christian migrants to South Australia. From Adelaide, we travel to historic Angaston, the Barossa town named after George Fife Angas, and tour the Union Chapel, one of the oldest churches in South Australia. We stop in the pretty Barossa town of Tanunda; its four Lutheran churches attest to its origins as another of SA’s early German settlements.

Our destination today is Peterborough, a small town with a population of only 1700 yet a streetscape of grand architecture that alludes to its former importance as the crossroads of a growing nation. In earlier times, over 100 steam locomotives used to pass through the town before heading to all corners of Australia, as it sat at the intersection of the East-West railway, the North-South railway and later the Trans-Australian railway. View railway-themed Silo Art, connect with local Christians and visit the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre to enjoy the award-winning Sound and Light Show.

Overnight: Peterborough

After leaving Peterborough, we stop for lunch in Woomera and visit the National Aerospace and Missile Park; the rockets are a legacy of the town once being one of the most secret Allied establishments in operation during the Cold War. From 1947–1982 Woomera Village operated as a “closed town” to support the operations of the Woomera Rocket Range during the Anglo-Australian Project. It’s hard to imagine, but this tiny town in the middle of theOutback (permanent population now 136) was once home to around 7000 people!

We are travelling through true Outback scenery – marvel at the distant desert landforms called Mesas as the many salt pans/lakes and the vegetation has become stunted with low-level spinifex. Our surroundings feel immeasurably vast with the road extending to the horizon – and beyond.

We are heading to Coober Pedy; set in a sunbaked “lunar landscape” this is a truly unique township where most buildings are built underground, creating a labyrinth of houses, hotels, shops and churches. Enjoy an incredible Outback sunset before sharing a meal and fellowship with the BCA Field staff, Dave and Margie Woods.

Overnight: Coober Pedy

In 1915, prospectors went searching for gold near the Stuart Ranges, and instead they discovered great quantities of opal. The new opal field was called Coober Pedy, derived from the Aboriginal term “kupa piti” meaning “white man in a hole”. This area quickly became a beacon for drifters and dreamers, migrants and miners from many nationalities, and today this remote town is referred to as the “opal capital of the world”.

Learn how opal was formed and mined, plus discover more about Australia’s ancient past and the area’s Aboriginal and European settlement, when we visit the award-winning Umoona Opal Mine & Museum. Browse Coober Pedy’s largest opal showroom and fossick for your own fortune as we try our hand at opal “noodling” and enjoy some time at leisure to explore.

We come together with the wider BCA Family for a very special dinner to celebrate BCA, the Catacomb Church and the purpose behind it all – Jesus, our Lord & Saviour.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

Overnight: Coober Pedy

With its remote location and 45 different nationalities making up its small population, Coober Pedy can be a challenging place to live and work. Since 1946, Bush Church Aid Society has provided much-needed ministry to this Outback town; first through the flying medical service, then by staffing and operating a hospital, and finally, clergy in 1970, with the Catacomb Church officially opened on 11th June 1977.

Built (or really dug out) from an old opal cave in the shape of a cross, the Catacomb Church is a truly special place to share Sunday worship; the simple décor reflects the local mining community whilst also reminiscent of the Roman catacombs, where early Christians sought refuge from persecution. Enjoy a special service commemorating the Golden Anniversary of this truly unique place of worship, followed by a celebratory lunch shared with the BCA Team.

This afternoon we travel out to nearby Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, an area of spectacular-coloured hills, flat-topped mesas and gibber-covered plains (locally referred to as “moon plain’). On our return, we will see part of the “Dog Fence”, a 2m high wire barrier stretching over 5,300km across three States, erected to protect the sheep country in the south from dingoes.

What a wonderful day!

Overnight: Coober Pedy

We are travelling to Port Augusta today and will stop along the way for lunch. Enjoy the serene atmosphere of Lake Hart, the breathtakingly beautiful salt lake that was a hub for salt mining in the 1930s. These striking white salt flats create a dramatic contrast to the surrounding red desert landscape that we have been driving through.

Our destination is Port Augusta at the head of the Gulf of St Vincent. Port Augusta has long been known as the “Crossroads of Australia” and the “Gateway to the Outback” and, by strange serendipity, the roads really do head to the primary points of the compass – north, south, east and west. After a day’s travel, you may wish to stretch your legs with an optional stroll around the town’s colourful Mural and Sculpture trail.

Overnight: Port Augusta

All aboard! It’s full steam ahead when we drive to Quorn for an unforgettable ride through the stunning Pichi Richi Pass on the charming Edwardian-era Steam Motor Coach No. 1, affectionately known as the “Coffee Pot Train”. The “Coffee Pot” is a direct link with the old South Australian Railways (SAR) days of early last century; withdrawn from service in 1932, it remained a static display until extensive restoration by the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society (PRRPS) in 1984 saw it resume service 4 times a year. As the only example of its type operating in the world, a ride on the Coffee Pot is truly special, with train buffs travelling from interstate and overseas for this unique railway heritage experience. Wow! Enjoy a special Native High Tea at Ticklebelly Hill before we travel on to Adelaide.

Overnight: Adelaide

Adelaide’s Christian heritage comes to life when we tour historic Trinity Church, South Australia’s pioneer church and closely linked to the history of South Australia and the development of BCA. The church initially struggled, and the small city congregation barely survived the first hundred plus years, but its members became strong supporters of the Church Missionary Society and the Bush Church Aid Society and sent a number of missionaries to work with these agencies.

We farewell Adelaide and new friends and return home feeling truly blessed after this holiday filled with spiritual connection.